Belief Statement on Assessment Practices
Growth in student learning can be verified through effective assessment when:

1. It is used as a way to measure and report achievement at the district and local level by
· Documenting student gain
· Providing frequent, timely and constructive feedback to all stakeholders
· Using research-based best practices
· Consistently aligning with learning outcomes
· Evaluating learning that is fair and equitable
2. It provides on-going analysis of learning at the district and local level through
· A range of formal and informal techniques
· Data-driven decision making
· A variety of sources
· Identification of under-performing students
3. It improves instructional effectiveness in the classroom as
· Educators plan instruction and formulate goals and objectives which correlate with the assessment data
· Educators tie data results to daily classroom practice
· Educators differentiate instruction based on data
· Educators review and re-teach based on data
· Educators use data for ongoing, continuous improvement
· Educators help students describe their own learning and set their own goals

The New Hope School District is dedicated to the best practices based on current research by providing quality professional development and professional learning communities to increase student achievement through effective assessment.